Discussion

One night at the Inner Harbor, Baltimore

Staying for one night ( a saturday in march ) at the Marriott Renaissance - need a place for a special dinner.........Would like to stay relatively close to hotel as we are not familiar with area.Perhaps a place for breakfast on Sunday as well???

Try the Watertable Restaurant in the hotel it has an awesome view of the Inner Harbor lite up at night the food is very good and you will be hard pressed to beat the view. http://www.watertablerestaurant.com/

Agree Charleston is probably the best in Baltimore, but I wouldn't walk there from the Renaissance, especially at night. It's a hike and there can be crime around the harbor and especially as things get more sparse over towards where Charleston is in Harbor East. Pains me to say it because I live here, but it's true.

If it's a special dinner, Charleston is head and shoulders above B&O Brasserie, which is also a very loud place. But, the bar there would be a nice place to start for a drink before grabbing a cab over to Charleston (which has a nice bar too). If you don't want to draw on your home equity line, however, another place for a fabulous special dinner (way better than any place right around the harbor or business district) is the Black Olive in Fells Point. Even though the menu has a heavy Greek influence on the menu, it is consistently rated the best seafood in Baltimore (a seafood town). The whole fish there is the best I have ever had. The octopus appetizer also is not to be missed. Kali's Court in Fells Point is not far behind--Mediterranean influences there too. Both better choices than any place around the harbor. Watertable has a nice view, but it's a hotel restaurant. Business lunch yes; special dinner, not in my opinion.

For breakfast at a neighborhood place, try Metropolitan on Charles Street in Federal Hill, or, if you don't mind a 5-10 minute cab ride, and want the best, quirkiest breakfast in town, go to Paper Moon Diner in Remington. Higher end would be brunch at Gertrude's in the Baltimore Museum of Art. Beautiful spot which too is a short, but worth it, cab ride.

The food at Charleston and Black Olive are both of the highest quality (you really can't go wrong with either choice), and I think their prices are also compatible. I think the biggest difference between the 2 is the atmosphere-- Charleston is dressy with a rather formal atmosphere, while Black Olive is much more casual. I usually opt for Charleston for celebratory dinners or for a romantic night out, and opt for Black Olive when I don't feel like getting all decked out but still want excellent food and service.